The CMJ University controversy in Meghalaya should warn Manipur. On March 31, 2014, the Meghalaya Government ordered the university’s dissolution. The decision was challenged before the Meghalaya High Court and passed through years of litigation. The Supreme Court upheld the dissolution on February 13, 2025. The prolonged legal battle shows how questions over academic standards and regulatory compliance can take years to resolve, leaving students and degree-holders facing uncertainty.
Manipur has already recognised the need to scrutinise academic qualifications. In June 2025, the Higher and Technical Education Department directed teachers in Government and Government-Aided Colleges to submit their M.Phil. and Ph.D. certificates for verification, particularly degrees obtained from CMJ University and other institutions. That was an important step. But should scrutiny stop there?
Concerns are being raised about Ph.D. degrees obtained from private universities by individuals working in government-aided colleges. Many Assistant Professors are reportedly yet to qualify UGC-NET or obtain a Ph.D. UGC regulations provide admission routes for candidates who have not qualified NET. Therefore, the absence of NET alone does not make a Ph.D. irregular. The crucial issue is whether universities follow eligibility criteria, admission procedures, research supervision and evaluation standards.
A review of Ph.D. congratulatory announcements in local newspapers points to a noticeable number of recipients associated with private universities. Some reportedly work as Assistant Professors in government-aided colleges and may not possess NET qualifications. This observation is not proof of wrongdoing, but it warrants scrutiny of admission processes, research work and the standards applied before degrees are awarded. Are doctoral programmes being conducted for genuine research, or are commercial considerations influencing admissions and awards?
Established institutions also have shortcomings. Manipur University holds NAAC B+ accreditation and has not featured among the top 100 institutions in the NIRF rankings. Dhanamanjuri University has faced student protests over delays in releasing stipends to Ph.D. scholars. These concerns do not invalidate their degrees but underline the need for stronger academic standards. Private universities, particularly those established recently, must face the same scrutiny. Their infrastructure, faculty, research facilities, supervision and UGC compliance require independent examination.
The changing approach to doctoral admissions elsewhere also merits attention. In August 2026, the West Bengal Government directed universities, including state-aided and private institutions, to use national-level examination scores such as UGC-NET, CSIR-NET, GATE and CEED for Ph.D. admissions, followed by interviews, and discontinue separate university-level entrance tests. Manipur should examine whether its universities apply procedures that ensure comparable academic rigour.
The issue extends beyond degrees to the approval and monitoring of private universities. An RTI application filed on August 28, 2025, sought records on how these institutions received State Government approval. More than a year later, complete and accurate information has reportedly not been furnished. The Directorate of University and Higher Education identified five State-approved private universities but indicated that evaluation committee reports, approval files and decision-making records must be obtained from the Department of Higher and Technical Education. Only Asian International University received approval after the Manipur Private Universities Act, 2021, came into force; the other four approvals predate the Act. The public is entitled to know the basis for each approval.
A Ph.D. notification issued by Khongnangthaba University on November 3, 2026, carried outdated references to the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the former Department of Secondary & Higher Education. Though these references alone do not establish irregularity, they raise questions about institutional care and administrative verification.
The Government must go beyond the initial certificate-verification exercise. It should disclose approval records, examine private universities and verify whether their Ph.D. programmes comply with UGC regulations.
Violations established through evidence must invite appropriate action against institutions and responsible officials. If degrees are later found invalid, students and teachers who relied on them for promotions or service benefits could face serious consequences. Authorities must not wait for another prolonged court battle.
Private universities have a legitimate role in expanding higher education. But government approval is no permanent guarantee of compliance, and academic degrees cannot be treated as commercial products. Will Manipur act now to protect the credibility of its higher education system, or risk facing another CMJ University episode?